Method of lacing shoe uppers



Oct. 13, 1936. J. FossA ET Al.

METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS 7 shets-sheet 1 Original Filed May l0; 1930 Oct. 13, 1936. J. FossA ET Al. 2,055,962,

METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS original Filed May 1o, 1930 7 sheets-sheet 2 Y Im/e ots WL'ness W@ M Oct. 13, 1936. J. POSSA' E'T AL 2,056,962

METHOD .OF LACING-SHOE UPPERS Original Filed May l0, 1950 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 E -ffl-7 62* d. 214

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Oct. 13, 1936.

J. FOSSA ET AL METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS I Original Filed May l0, 1950 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5

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l oct. 13, 1936.

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J. FossA ET A1. 2,055,962

METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 original Fil'ed May 1o, 1930 Fgl7 Oct. 13,1936. J. FoSsA ET A1.

METHOD oF LAGING SHOE UPPERS '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 original Filed May 1o, 195o' H nul WL'nesS oct. 13, 1936. J, FOSSET AL v 2,056,962

`METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS original Filed May 1o, 195o 7 sheets-sheet 7 0 F15. 34 7 my. 35 Z1? FL Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD F LACING SHOE UPPERS ration of New Jersey Original application May 10, 1930, Serial No. 452,764. Divided and this application May 10,

1934, Serial No. 724,916

7 Claims. (Cl. 112-262) shown in Figure 4; Figure 7 is a detail view partly The invention relates to a method of lacing shoe uppers.

In lacing machines heretofore devised intended to tie individual lacings through each pair of eyelets, carefully adjusted as to length to cause the upper to fit accurately and snugly on a last, diiiiculty has been encountered in fastening together the two ends of the cord in such a manner as to form a suiiiciently short lacing which Will not stretch when the upper is opened out and pulled down over the last. Ihe knots previously developed for' fastening together the ends of the lacings on these machines tend to slip or turn over and give up a portion of the cord when the i upper is opened out and pulled down over the last.

1t is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved method of tying lacings in shoe uppers preparatory to the lasting operation which will result in the formation of a particularly strong lacing which may be made as short as desired and will not stretch when opened out and pulled down over the last.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved method of the character indicated for lacing shoe uppers, the several steps of which are particularly well adapted to be carried out by an automatic machine such as hereinafter described.

With these and other objects in View, the several features of the invention consist in the several steps and series of steps, hereinafter described and claimed, performed in passing a cord through the eyelets of a shoe upper and securing the cord to form a lacing.

The several features of the present invention Will be clearly understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a novel and improved machine for lacing shoe uppers in the manner contemplated by the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in right side elevation of the machine, showing the parts in rest position ready to receive an upper to be lasted; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with an upper clamped in position and moved forwardly out of line with the needle preparatory to tying a knot;v Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 with the parts at an intermediate step in the operation prior to the passing of the first loop .around the needle hook; Figure 4 is a detail View partly in section of one of the knot tying units; Figure 5 is a plan view of the unit, illustrating particularly the looper; Figure 6 is a view in front elevation of the unit in section taken on the line 1--1 of Figure 4 and looking upwardly; Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 4; Figure 9 is a view in rear elevation of the upper portion of the unit illustrated in Figure 4; Figure 10 is a sectional View taken on the line Ill-I0 of Figure 4; and Figures 11 to 44 inclusive illustrate the relative positions taken by the cord handling elements at successive steps in the operation of tying the knot.

The gang lacing machine herein disclosed com, prises a series of knot tying units which are adapted to tie individual lacings in each pair of eyelets of a folded upper. This machine forms the subject-matter of pending application Serial No. 452,764 filed May 15, 1930 of which the present application is a division. The instrumentalities by means of which the upper is held and the knot is tied comprise a pair of clamping jaws for gripping the work, a hook needle adapted to draw a loop of cord through the eyelets and thereafter to tie the knot, a looper for guiding the cord into the needle hook, a hook for holding down the loops or bights drawn down by the needle, a gripper and cutter for cutting off and holding the end of the cord, a cord tension to prevent additional cord from being drawn off from the supply, and two take-ups adapted to cooperate with the other knot tying elements to form the knot.

Before starting the machine, the folded upper is placed in position With the needles extending upwardly through the superimposed eyelets. Upon starting the machine, the clamps are caused to clamp the .Work securely in position, and then the loopers are brought forward to place a loop of cord in each needle hook. The needles are then retracted, each needle drawing a loop of cord through two superposed eyelets, and the upper is moved laterally away from the machine by the movement of the slide on which the work clamping devices are carried. By the cooperation of the knot tying elements, as will be hereinafter more fully described, a bight is taken by a needle in one of the legs of the loop on the upper side of the eyelets and is drawn down through the loop which is then tightened up by taking up the cord forming the second leg of the loop. The needle is then advanced again through the bight thus formed and takes a bight in the second leg of the loop which is now drawn' through the first bight which is tightened up byA taking up the cord forming the opposite or first leg of the loop. In this manner, two bights are taken alternately in each of the two legs of the original loop extending through the eyelets and are drawn each in turn through the next preceding bight to form a rm unyielding knot.

The knot tying devices also include a lower take-Y up bar 6B extending laterally Vacross the ma-Y chine and secured at each end to` lever arms 10 sleeved on the shaft 12, and an uppertake-up bar 14 which is similarly supported on the leverv arms 16 on a shaft 18.* In order to assist in the locating of the knot as it is formed by the operation of the knot tying devices, a knot locater bar provided at 86 is supported at each end on lever arms 82 which are in turn sleeved on a shaft 84.

The folded upper is held in positionin the machine during the `knot tying operation by means of .a clamping device which comprises a series-,of lower clamping members 86 formed on the upper end of vertically situated plungers 88 which are mounted to slide in a frame 90 and are pressed yieldingly--upward by means of the compression springs 92 coiled about the plungers and resting at their .lower ends against a portion of the frame and at their upper ends against corresponding collars 94 on the plungers.

When the machine is in rest position, the clamping members 86 and plungers 88 are held in a retracted position by means of a latch plate 96 formed on the forward end of a lever 68 which is sleeved on the shaft on the machine frame. The latch plate 96 is provided with a ledge |02 which is adapted to engage with a series of collars |04 formed on the lower ends of the plungers 88. The latch lever 98 is held in a retracted position, when the machine is at rest, to hold the lower clamp members 86 in a depressed position against the pressure of their springs by the engagement of a cam roll |06 mounted on the latch lever 98 with a corresponding cam groove in a cam vdisk on the main cam shaft |09 of the machine.

The corresponding upper clamp for holding the upper in position comprises a bar H0 which extends laterally of the machine and is supported at each end on lever arms H2 secured to short stub shafts I4 which are rotatably mounted at each side of the machine in the frame 90.

In order to enable the upper to be moved laterally to bring the superimposed edges of the upper outof the path of the needle movement during the knot tying operation, the frame 90 is supported on two horizontal bars H6 which extend rearwardly in the machine and are mounted to slide axially. The mechanism for moving the frame 90 and clamps away from the knot tying devices comprises the levers H8 at each side of the machine which are formed on sleeves to turn on the shaft |22. The sleeves are further provided with forwardly extending arms |24 which are engaged at their under sides by the spring pressed plungers |26 which tend to rotate the sleeves and the lever arms H8 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1, to hold the frame 90 and the clamping devices in a retracted position toward the knot tying devices. In order to advance the frame against the pressure of the spring pressed plungers |26, a sleeve is interposed between the two sleeves on the rock lshaft |22 and is provided at each end with the short lever arms |30 Which carry adjustable set screws |32 adapted to engage with the upper side of the arms |24. A downwardly extending cam lever |34 formed on the sleeve is provided at its lower end with a cam roll |36 adapted to engage 4a corresponding cam formed in the face of the cam disk |38 on the main cam shaft |69 of the machine. As the cam lever |34 is moved in wardly, or to the right, as shown in Figure l, the. lever arms. |30 and set screws |32 are depressed into contact with the arms |24 to rotate the levers H8 in a counter-clockwise direction, to move the frame 80 and the clamping devices away from the knot forming devices.

The upperclamping bar H0 and lever arms H2 are. normally held raised in rest position by means of a spring which is coiled about the shaft H4 andis attached at one en-d to the lever arm H2 and at its other end to a fixed point on the machine frame. In order to move the upper clamping bar H0 downwardly toward the'lower spring pressed clamp members 86, a short'de-l pending member |42 issecured to the outer end of each rock shaft H4 and is provided with a cam surface |44 which is adapted to be engaged by a roll |46 on one armof a bell crank lever |48 pivoted at |50 on the frame 90, one such lever being mounted on each side of the frame below the corresponding lever H2. The other arm of each bell crank lever |48 is similarly pro- Vided with a roll |52 which rides in a groove |54 formed in the forward end of a clamp actuating lever |56 loosely sleeved at each side of the machine on vthe shaft |58. There is also formed on the hub of each lever |56 a downwardly extending arm |66 provided with a gear segment-|62 which meshes with a corresponding arm of a cam lever |66 which at its free end carries the cam roll |61 which engages with a corresponding cam groove |68 in the face of the cam disk |69. After the upper has been placed in position on the needles and the machine has been put in operation, the clamp actuating lever |56 isdepressed under the influence of its cam through' the connections above described, causing the bell crank lever |48 Ito be rotated in a clockwise direction about its pivot, and through the engagement of the roll |46 with the cam surface |44 causing the upper clamping bar I0 to be moved downwardly into clamping position against the pressure of its spring |40. As the cam roll |46 moves to its furthest position to the right, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, past the line of centers of the pivot |56 and the rock shaft I I4, the clamp is automatically locked in its depressed position.

At the same time that the upper clamp is moved down into clamping position, the latch lever 98 is raised, allowing the lower clampingl members 86 to move upwardly under the pressure of their springs 92 into yielding engagement with the upper clamping member H0. At the end of the knot tying operation, when the frame 90 and the clamps are returned to their original positions, the latch lever 98 is again depressed, bringing the ledge |02 into engagement with the collars |04 to move the lower clamping members 86 downwardly against the pressure of their springs 92.

With the present'machine, a number of loo-p tying units is provided corresponding to the number of pairs of eyelets in the vupper and are adapted to act simultaneously to put individual lacings in the eyelets. Each unit comprises a block or panel |10 in which is mounted a needle, a looper, and a thread gripper.

A straight hook needle 60 is mounted to move vertically in bearings formed in two forwardly extending brackets |12 which comprise an integral part of each panel |10. Vertical reciprocatory movements are imparted to the needles of the several units in unison by means o-f a horizontally arranged cam lever |14 which is centrally located in the machine to turn on a shaft |16 and at its forward end is provided with a sleeve portion |11 adapted to receive a rod |19 which is connected at each end to the lower ends of two co-rresponding links |18. At their upper ends, the links are secured to opposite ends of a rod which extends transversely of the machine and is journaled through a series of blocks |82 which are clamped to the needles and are adapted to ride in corresponding guideways |84 formed o-n the fro-nt edges of the panels |10. The needles are advanced and retracted as a unit through the movement of the lever |14 which is provided intermediate its length with an offset portion |86 forming a support for a cam roll |88 adapted to ride in a groove formed in the face of the cam disk |08. With the construction and arrangement of the parts here disclosed, it will be seen that the needles will be advanced and retracted as a unit under the influence of the cam lever |14 and may further be adjusted laterally with the panels |10 to nt the width of the eyelets through which lacings are being inserted.

After each knot tying operation, the end of the cord leading from the supply to each knot tying unit is cut, and the loose end is held securely by means of the cord gripper 64 which is best shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 8. The cord gripper cornprises the hook-shaped member on the forward end of a rod |92 which extends rearwardly through the panel |10. Each gripper rod |92 is provided near its rear end with a flanged collar |94 which engages between two bars |96 which run transversely of the machine and are supported at each end by two vertically situated lever arms |98 which are secured by set screws 99 to a rock shaft |16 which is further provided with a downwardly extending arm 200 provided with a cam roll 202 adapted to ride in a cam groove in the face of the disk 204. Cooperating with the gripper 64 is a spring pressed plunger 206 which is mounted in a recess 208 in the panel |10 and is adapted to engage with the hook portion of the gripper as this is retracted to cut and grip the thread. A second cooperating grip-V ping surface 209 is provided to cooperate with the gripper 64 and is formed on the lower end of a short bar or plate 2 |0 which is adapte-d to slide vertically in a corresponding groove formed in the front of the panel |10. A screw bolt 2|2 extending through a slot 2 |3 in the plate 2|0 holds the plate in position and a spring 2|4 mounted in a recess 2|5 in the front of the panel engages the upper end of the plate 2|0 to hold the gripping surface 209 yieldingly in engagement with the upper surface of the gripper 64. The cutting surface 2 |6 is provided in the panel on the under side of the gripper and cooperates with the lower edge of the gripper to sever the cord. At the end of the knot tying operation, the gripper is advanced through the connections above described, releasing the end of the old cord and taking the end of the cord leading from the supply which is severed against the cutting surface 2|6 as the gripper is retracted to the position shown in Fig.V

4, While the loose end is at the same time gripped tightly between the gripping surfaces above described preparatory for the next knot tying operation.

A looper 62 is provided with each knot tying unit and comprises a depending arm which is rigidly secured to the forward end of a bar 2|1 journaled in the panel |10. At the lower rend of the looper arm on the left side as seen, for instance, in Fig. 13, a guide 2|8 is provided for the cord leading from the supply, and on the right side ofv the looper is provided a downwardly facing notch or hook 2| 9 which is adapted to receive and guide into the needle hook the ycord forming the second leg of the lacing loop which leads over the lower take-up 68 to the gripper 64. In order to give to the looper the advancing and lateral movements necessary to lay cord in the needle hook, each looper bar 2|1 is provided at its rear end with an offset section 220 having a flanged collar 22| which engages betw-een two parallel bars 222 extending laterally across the machine .and supported at each end on two horif Zontally situated levers 223. These levers 223 are pivotally secured intermediate Ytheir lengths to the two arms of a vertically arranged yoke 224, which is loosely sleeved to a shaft 226 and is further provided with a downwardly extending arm 228 which carries the cam roll 230 to engage with a corresponding groove in the face of the cam disk |08. The levers 223 are oscillated about their pivot on the cam yoke 224 to raise and lower the bars 222 and thus to impart lateral movements to the loopers through connections comprising a' link 236 which is forked at its upper end, the arms of the fork being connected respectively to the rear ends of the two levers 223. At its lower end, the link 236 is connected to a horizontally arranged cam lever arm 238 which is loosely sleeved on the shaft |16, and is provided with a downwardly extending arm 240 which carries a cam roll 242 adapted to ride in a cam groove formed in the face of the cam disk 204.

Each hook 66 for holding the bights of cord pulled down by th-e needles in forming the knot, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 10, is formed on the forward' end of a rod 246 which is journaled in the panel |10 and is provided at its rear end with a anged collar 248 which engages between two bars 250 extending laterally of the machine.-

These bars are supported at each end on the two l in a corresponding cam groove formed in the cam disk |38.

The knot locater bar 80 which is brought to rest position during the knot tying operation, extends laterally across the machine and is supported at each end on the forwardly extending lever arms 82 which are secured at each end of the shaft 84, as above described. The shaft 84 and the lever arms 82 are rotated to raise and lower the locater bar 80 through connections which comprise a depending arm 266 which is connected to the forward end of a link 268. The link is connected also to the upper end of a vertically arranged lever 210 which is loosely sleeved on the shaft |00 and is provided with a depending arm 212 which carries a cam roll 214 adapted to ride in a corresponding groove in a cam disk |69.

The machine is also provided with a series of tensioning devices to control the supply of cord to reach loop forming and knot tying device.'

' Each of these tensioning devices comprises a stud 218 over which the cord is guided between a fixed disk and a disk loosely held on the stud 218 and forced yieldingly into engagement with the iixed disk to tension the cord by means of a' compression spring. In o-rder to release the tension on the cord passing over the stud 218, wedges 288 are mounted on a laterally extending bar 290 and are .adapted to be inserted between each pair of disks to spread the disks against the pressure of their springs and thus to vrelease the tension on the cord. In order to control the operation of the tensioning devices, two rearwardly extending arms 292 are formed on the sleeve portions of the lever arms 82 supporting the locater bar 80 and are .adapted to engage with the lower ends of two downwardly extendingrods 294 formed on each end of the crossbar 299 carrying the wedges 288. Compression springs coiled about the rods 294 and secured at their lower ends to the rods and at their upper ends adapted to bear against xed portions of the machine frame tend to hol-d the rods 294 depressed into engagement with the arms 292 and with the wedges 288 depressed out of contact with the tensioning disks. With this construction and arrangement of the parts, it will be seen that the movement of the Ylever arms 218 to' raise theV locater bar 80 into operative position will cause the bar 298 carrying the wedges 288 to be depressed to place the required tension on the cord. Conversely, the movement of the locater bar downwardly into inoperative position causes the rods 294 and bar 290 to be raised against the pressure of the springs 296, causing the wedges 288 to be inserted between the tensioning disks to release the tension on the cord. Y

'I'he machine is further provided with two takeup devices, one of which is adapted to take up the cord coming from the tensioning device and cord supply forming one leg of the lacing loop drawn through the eyelets in forming the lacing. The other or lower take-up is adapted to take up the cord terminating in the gripper and forming the other leg of Vthe lacing loop. The lower take-up, as above pointed out, comprises the take-up rod 68 which extends laterally of the machine and is supported at each end on a lever arm 10 rigidly secured to the shaft 12. At the left-hand end of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 1, there is also secured a lever arm 304 which is connected by means of a link 306 to the free end of a cam lever 308 which is loos-ely sleeved on the shaft 226 and is further provided with a downwardly extending arm 3|0 provided with a cam roll 3|2 adapted to ride in a cam groove formed in the face of the disk 204.

The upper take-up, as above pointed out, similarly comprises the take-up rod 14 extending transversely of the machine and supported at each end by the lever arm 16 loosely sleeved on the shaft 18 mounted on the machine frame. There is also secured to the sleeve portion of one of the arms 16 a short lever arm 322 which is connected by means of a link 324 to the free end of a cam lever 326 loosely sleeved on the shaft |00 and provided with a downwardly extending arm 328 which carries a cam roll 330 adapted to engage in a camgroove formed in the face of the cam disk 204.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

With the machine in rest position, as shown in Fig. l the needles are in advanced position,`the looper, hook, and gripper are retracted, the frame 90 carrying the clamping devices is in its retracted position, the upper clamping jawis in raised position and the lower clamping jaws are held in a retracted position to facilitate the placing of the eyelets of the folded upper over the Y needles preparatory to starting the machine.

Upon starting the machine, the lever |56 is'depressed and acts through the bell crank lever |48 to move the upper clamping bar H0 down into clamping position against the pressure of its spring |40 where it is locked by the bell crank lever |48. At the sameV time, the lever 98 is raised, carrying with it the latch member 96 and allowing the lower clamping jaws 86 to be raised under the influence of their springs .92 to clamp the work yieldingly between the jaws. The looper is now advanced and moved laterally past the needle to lay a loop of cord in the needle hook. At this time, the cord end is securely held by the gripper 64 and the thread tensioning devices cooperating with each knot tying unitA are released to permit the requisite amount of cord for the new lacing to be drawn from the supply. The several steps thus far described in the operation of the machine are illustrated in Figs. 2 to l5 inclusive. Succeeding Figs. 16 to 44 inclusive illustrate in detail the successive steps in the operation of the knot tying devices to form the lacing and tie a firm unyielding knot. As illustrated in the drawings, the needle is noW retracted to draw a loop of cord through the eyelets and the upper and lower take-up devices are both raised to their utmost limits to draw off a suiiicient amount of cord from the supply to form the lacing. This movement of the lower take-up also causes the length of thread leading from the needle to the gripper to be engaged by the notch 2|9 in the looper arm. The clamp support 90 carrying the upper is now advanced away from the knot tying devices preparatory to the formation of the knot, the lower take-up at this time being brought down torgive up sufiicient cord for this purpose without the necessity of reeving the cord through the eyelets and the needle hook, the. upper take-up remaining at this time in its upper position. The knot' locating bar 80 is now raised to its operative position, as shown in Fig. 18, and the tensioning devices are simultaneously rendered operative to prevent further cord from being drawn off from the supply. The parts are now in position for-the formation of the knot. At this time, the hook 66 is advanced and slightly retracted to take the loop from the needle and the needle is advanced through the loop held down in this fashion. The looper is now moved to the right, asfshown in Fig. 21, to bring the leg of the loop leading from the supply into the needle hook and the needle is then retracted, causing a bight'of cord to be drawn through the loop held on the hook member 66. At the same time, the upper take-up member is depressed to give up a corresponding amount of cord for this purpose. The hook member is now advanced to release the first loop, as shown in Fig. 23, and the lower take-up bar'68 is raised to take up the cord on the leg of Vthe loop leading to the gripper and thus to tighten up the loop, as shown in Fig. 23. The hook 66 is again retracted to take the bight of cord from the needle hook which is now advanced to its upper position as shown in Figs, 25 and 26. At the same time, the looper is moved to the left, as shown in Fig. 25, to cause the leg of the loop leading from the eyelet through the notch 2| 9 of the looper to the gripper to be brought into the needle hook. The needle is thenw retracted,

causingafbight to be formed'` in the gripper'u `leg 0f the loop and drawing this bight of cord through theiirstv bight,r4 as shownin Fig. '27, the lower take-upat'the lsame time being depressed to providethev requisite 'cord for thisipurpose. The hook' 66.1isn'ow' advanced to releaserthe rst bight formed in they-leg of theloo'pi'leading from" the supply and the upper take-up is raisedto take up.thecordonlfthesupply leg of the loop and thus to Atightenl the'bight formed in this leg of the loop about the second bight now held on the needle hook, as best shown in Fig. 28. At this stage in the formation of the knot, it Will be noted that one bight has been taken in each leg of the original loop passing through the eyelets, the first bight being passed through the loop itself and the second bight in the second leg of the loop being passed through the rst bight. Preparatory to the next step in the formation of the knot, the hook 66 is again retracted to take the bight held on the needle hook, the needle again being advanced, as shown in Fig. 30. The looper is now moved to the right, as shown in Fig. 3l, to bring the cord forming the supply leg of the original loop into the path of the needle hook which acts on the retracting stroke of the needle to form a second bight of'cord in the leg of the original loop leading from the supply and to pass this bight through the bight held on the hook B6, as shown in Fig. 32. The upper take-up is at the same time depressed to provide the requisite cord for this purpose. 'I'he hook 66 is again advanced to release the bight held thereon and the lower take-up 68 is raised to tighten up this bight formed in the gripper leg of the original loop about the bight held on the needle hook, as best shown in Fig. 33.

In order to form a tight knot which will not become loosened or untied, a fourth bight is now taken in the cord on the gripper leg of the loop and is pulled through the bight last formed in the supply side of the original loop which is then tightened to complete the formation of the knot. As shown in Fig. 34, the third bight held on the needle hook is taken by the hook 66 and the needle is advanced through the loop to take the cord passing over the lower take-up to the gripper. The needle is now retracted, drawing the fourth bight through the previously formed bight held on the hook 66, the hook is advanced to release this bight, and the upper take-up is raised as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 37 to 40 inclusive to tighten up the third bight about the fourth bight. Finally, the thread gripper is advanced, releasing the end of the old cord, and moving into position to engage with the cord leading from the knot to the supply while at the same time, the upper take-up is retracted to allow the cord to be readily drawn off by the gripper in its retracting movement to sever the cord and to grip the free end.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A method of lacing shoe uppers which comprises drawing a loop of cord through a pair of eyelets, forming a bight in one leg of said loop on the cord supply side of the eyelets, passing said bight through the said loop, taking up the cord on the second leg of the loop to tighten the loop about the said bight, forming a bight in the second leg of the said loop on the cord supply side of the eyelets, passing said bight through the first formed bight, taking up the cord on the first-mentioned leg of the loop to tighten the first formed bight about the second bight, forming a second bight inv the'rst-mentioned leg of the loop, passing the Said bight 'through the bight formedfon the second'leg ofthe loop,'and taking up the cord on the second-mentioned leg of the said loop to tighten the second bight about the last form'edbight.' i

2; 'A method oflacing shoe uppers which comprises drawing a loop of cordthrougha pair of eyelets, forming a bight` in one fleg off-said. loop on the IcordV supplyy side of the eyelets, lpassing said'bightf'throughifthe saidf loop",- taking up the cord on the second leg of the loop to tighten the loop about the said bight, forming a bight in the second leg of the said loop on the cord supply side of the eyelets, passing said bight through the first formed bight, taking up the cord on the first-mentioned leg of the loop to tighten the rst formed bight about the second bight, forming a second bight in the first-mentioned leg of the loop, passing the said bight through the bight formed on the second leg of the loop, taking up the cord on the second mentioned leg of the said loop to tighten the second bight about the last formed bight7 forming a second bight on the second leg of the said loop, passing said bight through the last formed bight on the firstmentioned leg of the loop, and taking up the cord on the rst-mentioned leg to tighten the third bight about the last formed bight.

3. A method of lacing shoe uppers which comprises drawing a loop of cord through a pair of eyelets, forming a bight in one leg of said loop on the cord supply side of the eyelets, passing said bight through the said loop, taking up the cord in the second leg of the loop to tighten the loop about the said-bight, and thereafter successively forming bights on each leg of the said loop, passing said bights in each instance through the last formed bight, and taking up the cord on the opposite leg of the loop in each instance to tighten each preceding bight around each successive last formed bight.

4. A method of lacing shoe uppers which comprises passing a loop of lacing cord through a pair of aligned eyelet holes of a folded shoe upper, passing a bight of the cord across the edges of the shoe upper and through the bight of the loop, passing another bight of the cord through the last formed bight, taking up on the cord to tighten the bights and acting on the cord during the tightening of the bights to leave sumcient slack in the lacing to permit opening out of the upper for application to a last.

5. A method of lacing shoe uppers which comprises passing a loop of lacing cord through a pair of aligned eyelet holes of a folded shoe upper, passing a bight of the cord across the edges of the upper and through they bight of the loop, passing another bight of the cord through the last formed bight, taking up on the cord after the passing of each bight through the preceding bight to tighten the bights and acting` on the cord during the tightening of the bights to leave suicient slack in the lacing to permit opening out of the upper for application to a last.

6. A method of lacing shoe uppers which comprises passing a loop of cord through a pair of aligned eyelet holes of a folded shoe upper, forming a bight in one leg of the said loop on the cord supply side of the eyelets, passing said bight across the edges of the folded upper and through the said loop, forming a bight in the other leg of the said loop on the cord supply side of the eyelets, passing the said bight across the edges of the folded upper and through the first formed bight, and taking up on the cord to tighten the 'nights While leaving sufficient slack in the lacing to permit opening out of the upper for application to a last.

'7. A method of lacing shoe uppers which comprises passing a loop of oord through a pair of alignedV eyelet holes of a folded shoe upper, forming a bight in one leg of the said loopV on the cord supply side of .the eyelets, passing said bight across the edges of the folded upper and through the said loop, forming a bight in the other leg of the said loop on the cord supply' sideof the eyelets, passing the said bight across theV edges of the folded upper and through the first formed bight, and taking up on the cord after the passing of each bight to tighten the bights while leaving sufficient slackinrthe lacing to permit opening out of the upper for application to` a` last. Y

JOSEPH FOSSA.

HARRY D. ELLIOTT. 7 1o 

